THE RIDES AND BOOTHS ARE STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE AT CENTRAL CITY PARK... JUST PART OF THE PREPARATIONS BEFORE MACON'S 2012 CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND.
YOU'RE TAKING A LIVE LOOK AT THE PARK.
HELLO EVERYONE AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.... I'M LEAH JOHNSON..
AND I'M FRANK MALLOY.
THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS AT SIX... WE'LL TALK WITH BRITTINY BARBER ABOUT THINGS AT THE PARK IN JUST A FEW MINUTES... BUT FIRST... TONIGHT'S TOP STORY...

TWO NEIGHBORING CENTRAL GEORGIA CITIES GEAR UP FOR A BATTLE OVER PRIME DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY.
BYRON AND WARNER ROBINS BOTH HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN ANNEXING LAND AT THE WATSON BOULEVARD EXIT OFF 1-75.
WHAT'S NOT CLEAR..... IS WHICH CITY CAN CLAIM THE PROPERTY... AND HOW THE DISAGREEMENT WILL GET SORTED OUT.
LORRA LYNCH JONES EXPLAINS.
<<nats- cars
BEFORE TRAFFIC EVER BUSTLED INTO THE PILOT STATION OFF THE WATSON BOULEVARD/247 CONNECTOR EXIT OF I-75..
nats- cars
BEFORE DEVELOPERS TORE DOWN THE OLD CAFE EROTICA ACROSS THE STREET...
nats-
THE MAYOR'S OF WARNER ROBINS AND BYRON PENNED AN AGREEMENT... SAYS BRYON COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL CHIDESTER.
Michael Chidester: (4:01) "The story goes back a long way, but it has to do generally with the inadaquecies of the sewer facilities that were available in the city of Byron."
WARNER ROBINS COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL SHEALY SAYS FORMER MAYOR DONALD WALKER AGREED TO PROVIDE BYRON WITH UP TO 900 WATER AND SEWER TAPS...
Paul Shealy: (13:49) "Warner Robins back in 1996 spent almost a million dollars running utilities to that area."
THEY DID IT IN EXCHANGE FOR A 20 YEAR AGREEMENT GIVING WARNER ROBINS THE RIGHTS TO FUTURE ANNEXATIONS.
(Lorra at wall)
THIS IS A MAP SHOWING I-75.. LOOKING NORTH.
TO THIS SIDE IS WARNER ROBINS... THIS SIDE BYRON.
THE 1996 AGREEMENT SAID WARNER ROBINS ... COULD ANNEX THIS LAND ... WEST OF THE 1-75 EXIT... AS FAR AS THE BOUNDARY OF HOUSERS MILL ROAD... WHEN HOMES OR BUSINESS HOOKED-ON TO THEIR UTILITY LINES.
nats- cars
THE AGREEMENT WORKED... UNTIL 2010...WHEN.A GAS STATION OPENED AT HOUSERS MILL AND THE CONNECTOR.
SHEALY SAYS THE BUSINESS DIDN'T ASK WARNER ROBINS FOR PERMISSION TO "TAP-ON" TO THE SEWER... AND BYRON BY-PASSED THE AGREEMENT... ANNEXING THE PROPERTY INTO THEIR CITY.
Paul Shealy: (12:00) "We thought thety were infringing on our service area, so we brought it to their light."
THEN... ANOTHER ISSUE ESCALATED THE SITUATION.
Michael Chidester: "5:40) "We suddenly got notice that the city of warner robins was upset about some things were doing over here."
BYRON PETITIONED THE STATE LEGISLATURE... TO ANNEX HOUSERS MILL ROAD... AND WARNER ROBINS MAYOR CHUCK SHAHEEN RESPONDED WITH A LETTER TO AREA LEGISLATORS.
HE WROTE... WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE LATEST ANNEXATION EFFORT CONFLICTS WITH THE TERMS OF THAT AGREEMENT TO THE DETRIMENT OF OUR CITY'S CITIZENS AND UTILITY CUSTOMERS."
BYRON CONTENDS IT DOESN'T.
Michael Chidester: (9:20) "There really is no real dispute that's legitimate concerning the road itself, because it's in Byron's interest to annex it."
ITS IN BOTH SIDES INTEREST... WITH TAX DOLLARS AT STAKE.
Paul Shealy: (12:40) "That's going to be a growth area, you can already tell."
THEY TWO PARTIES WANT TO SETTLE THE MATTER WITHOUT A LAWSUIT.
Michael Chidester: (10:55) "Litigation is never a good idea between cities that are neighbors."
Paul Shealy: (13:30) "I'm sure were going to reach an agreement sooner than later."
BUT WHEN WILL THAT HAPPEN... NO ONE CAN TELL.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE AREA... RO BERT DICKEY SAYS BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY.. THE BILL FOR BYRON TO ANNEX HOUSERS MILL WAS NEVER FILED THIS YEAR.
PAUL SHEALY SAYS A MEDIATOR IS NOW REVIEWING THE CITIES WATER TREATMENT AGREEMENTS... AND THEY HOPE HE'LL MAKE A DECISION IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

SOME PRIVATE WELLS IN MONROE COUNTY ARE FLOWING WITH RADON... AND URANIUM.
THOSE AFFECTED ARE SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS TO FLUSH OUT THE ELEMENTS.
MONROE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE TEAMING UP WITH MIDDLE GEORGIA REGIONAL COMMISSIONERS TO GET CLEAN COUNTY WATER TO THE AREA.
CHAN LAYSON... WITH THE MIDDLE GEORGIA REGIONAL COMMISSIONERS SAYS.... 32 HOMES IN THE DAMES FERRY AREA TESTED FOR HIGH LEVELS OF URANIUM.
THE GROUP IS APPLYING FOR A COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT... THAT WOULD EXTEND COUNTY WATER ABOUT TWO MILES TO THE AFFECTED HOMES.
Chan Layson, Middle GA Regional Commissioners: "I think this is probably one of the more important, most important, issues in Monroe County right now. In fact, I would say that the community development block grant that we're working on is actually going to help leverage money from the county in order to solve the problem in this area."
LAYSON SAYS ONCE THE WATER REACHES OLD DAMES FERRY ROAD... THEY CAN USE SPLOST MONEY TO REACH OTHER HOMES.

BIBB COUNTY HAS TEN OF THE 78 WORST PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN GEORGIA..
THAT'S ACCORDING TO A LIST OF PRIORITY SCHOOLS RELEASED TODAY BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
THE SCHOOLS INCLUDE BURGHARD... HARTLEY... KING-DANFORTH... AND INGRAM-PYE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS...
ALSO HUTCHINGS CAREER CENTER... NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOLS...
AND RUTLAND... SOUTHWEST... AND WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOLS.
PRIORITY SCHOOLS IDENTIFY STRUGGLING HIGH POVERTY OR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS.
THEY WERE LABLED "NEEDS IMPROVEMENT" UNDER THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT... BUT THE STATE RECIEVED A WAIVER FROM THOSE REQUIREMENTS LAST MONTH.
BARBARA LUNSFORD... THE STATE'S ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT... SAYS THE NEW DESIGNATIONS LOOK AT HOW ALL STUDENTS PERFORM.
"By identifying schools in this way. We know which schools to focus our resources and energies towards, and we will also be working with districts and how districts are going to be supporting these schools."
THE SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN PRIORITY SCHOOLS FOR THREE YEARS AND RECIEVE EXTRA STATE FUNDING TO GET ON TRACK.
DISTRICTS WITH PRIORITY SCHOOLS WILL ALSO GET SPECIALISTS IN JUNE TO HELP CREATE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

PART OF MERCER UNIVERSITY'S MEDICAL SCHOOL COULD FIND A HOME IN THE BUILDING THAT ONCE HOUSED THE GEORGIA MUSIC HALL OF FAME.
STATE OFFICIALS CLOSED THE MUSIC HALL LAST YEAR.
NOW THEY SAY THEY'RE WILLING TO SELL IT TO MERCER BUT DIDN'T NAME A PRICE.
MERCER VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING LARRY BRUMLEY WASN'T AVAILABLE TO TALK WITH US TODAY.
BUT NEWTOWN MACON PRESIDENT MIKE FORD SAYS CONVERTING THE BUILDING WOULD BOOST NEARBY BUSINESSES.
GEORGIA LAWMAKERS WILL HAVE TO AUTHORIZE THE SALE BEFORE THE STATE PROPERTIES COMMISSION CAN SET A PRICE OR MAKE A DEAL WITH THE SCHOOL.

TODAY VENDERS ROLLED IN TO TOWN FOR THE 30TH ANNUAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL.. WHICH KICKS OFF THIS WEEK...
BRITTINY BARBER IS LIVE AT CENTRAL CITY PARK SITE OF MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES DURING TEH FESTIVAL'S TEN DAY RUN..
BRITTINY WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE NOW?
BRITTINY DESCRIBES THE PREPARATIONS AT CENTRAL CITY PARK
THE PINKEST PARTY ON EARTH GET UNDERWAY FRIDAY... WITH THE OPENING CEREMONY AT NOON.
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL THE ACTIVITIES.. CHECK OUT OUR FESTIVALS GUIDE ON 13WMAZ-DOT-COM.

ALSO ON OUR WEB PAGE.. YOU'LL FIND TODAY'S 13 WMAZ DOT COM WEB POLL..
IT ASKS.. DO YOU ATTEND FESTIVAL EVENTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY??
SO FAR.. 53 PERCENT OF YOU SAY YES.. YOU DO.
47 PERCENT OF YOU SAY NO.. YOU DO NOT ATTEND FESTIVAL EVENTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
VOTE NOW AT 13 WMAZ DOT COM... JUST LOOK FOR THE QUESTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAGE.

A 27 YEAR OLD HOUSTON COUNTY MAN WILL GO TO PRISON FOR AT LEAST 14 YEARS FOR RAPING A 14 YEAR OLD GIRL.
A NEWS RELEASE FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SAID A HOUSTON COUNTY JURY FOUND JERMAINE DONTE TUCKER GUILTY OF STATUTORY RAPE.
HE INITIALLY CONTACTED HIS VICTIM THROUGH FACEBOOK.. THEN WENT TO HER HOME AND ATTACKED HER WHEN HER MOTHER WAS GONE.
TUCKER ADMITTED TO HAVING SEX WITH THE TEEN.
HE WAS SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS - 14 IN PRISON..
TUCKER MUST ALSO PAY A 5-THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE CANNOT LIVE IN THE COUNTY WHEN HE GETS OUT OF JAIL..

THE SPARTA POLICE OFFICER ACCUSED OF DOGFIGHTING AND ANIMAL CRUELTY TRANSFERRED TO THE HANCOCK COUNTY JAIL THIS AFTERNOON.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE MORGAN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE.
KATELYN HECK SPOKE WITH OFFICERS IN CENTRAL GEORGIA WHO SAY CRIMES AGAINST ANIMALS... ARE A PROBLEM ALL OVER THE STATE.
<<
(NATS)
G-B-I OFFICERS RESCUED THIS MOM AND HER FIVE PUPS FROM A HANCOCK COUNTY HOME MONDAY.
THEY CALLED IN VALERIE BUXKLEY WITH AN ANIMAL SHELTER IN MILLEDGEVILLE... TO PICK UP THE FAMILY AND THREE OTHER PIT-BULLS.
(SOT: it was horiffic... heavy chains on wooden posts... feces everywhere... there was no food or water for them in sight.)
TOM DAVIS WITH THE G-B-I SAYS OFFICERS ARRESTED SPARTA POLICE OFFICER TRAVIS EDWARDS AND BUCKLEY TOOK THE NINE PUPS TO OLD CAPITOL PET CARE IN MILLEDGEVILLE.
(NATS)
VETERINARIAN SARALYNN SMITH SAYS ALL THE DOGS SHOWED SIGNS OF ABUSE...
(SOT: the scarring, the fight wounds are obvious... two of the older females have been fought... and the two younger ones wre probably raised as bait dogs.)
SMITH SAYS SHE'S SEEN A LOT OF MISTREATED ANIMALS WALK THROUGH HER CLINIC'S DOORS.
(SOT: as a vet, i try to be watchful of that. i'm required and its ethically the right thing to do to report stuff like that if i see it.)
(NATS)
DAVIS SAYS DOGFIGHTING AND ANIMAL CRUELTY ARE MORE COMMON THAN MANY PEOPLE THINK.
(SOT:its not just in hancock county... its a problem all over the state. we have calls all the time with people telling us about this kind of stuff going on.)
BUT HE SAYS OFFICERS HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING FIGHTS.....BECAUSE MANY HAPPEN ON SHORT NOTICE....IN RURAL AREAS.
(NATS)
KATELYN HECK
13WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS
>> SMITH SAYS THE DOGS WILL HEAD TO "HAVE-A-HEART ANIMAL SHELTER" IN MILLEDGEVILLE AFTER THEY RECOVER.
WE TRIED TO CONTACT HANCOCK COUNTY SHERIFF TOMLYN PRIMUS FOR AN UPDATE ON EDWARD'S ARREST.
HE DID NOT RETURN OUR PHONE CALLS.
LOCAL OFFICIALS COULD NOT GIVE DETAILS ON THE NUMBER OF DOGFIGHTING AND ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES IN THE AREA.

THIS WEEKEND... FOLKS LOOKING TO TAP INTO SOME IRISH-STYLE FUN CAN TAKE A TRIP TO DUBLIN.
IT'S THE BIG WEEKEND FOR THE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FESTIVAL... AND WE HAVE ALL THE DETAILS ON OUR DUBLIN "WHERE YOU LIVE" PAGE AT 13WMAZ DOT COM.
YOU CAN STILL ENJOY PLENTY OF FESTIVAL EVENTS.
ON SATURDAY MORNING.... THE PARADE WILL GREEN UP DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET... STARTING AT 10:30
AFTER THAT... SWING BY THE ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL AT THE SOUTHERN RECREATION FACILITY.
THAT ENDS AT SEVEN.
TO GET THE FULL CALENDAR... LOOK FOR THE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FESTIVAL GUIDE BY VISITING THE DUBLIN PAGE.